New Scotland coach Vern Cotter has named three uncapped players in the
starting XV against US Eagles on Saturday

Vern Cotter has wasted no time in signalling the start of a new era for Scottish rugby by naming three uncapped players in the starting line-up for his first game as head coach, against the US Eagles in Houston on Saturday.

Cotter, whose eight-year reign as coach of Clermont Auvergne ended last month, has given the nod to fly-half Finn Russell and prop Gordon Reid, both of Glasgow, and London Irish flanker Blair Cowan.

In addition, Edinburgh scum-half Grayson Hart and prop Alex Allan are also in line for Test debuts after being named on the bench.

While Cotter is understandably keen to make his mark, his options have been restricted as Scotland have effectively chosen two squads for a summer tour that will also take in Canada, Argentina and South Africa, and a number of top players will not join the party until the Argentina leg.

The form of Russell and Reid in the Glasgow side that reached the RaboDirect PRO12 final last weekend has been such that their selections are hardly surprising. Cowan, however, is more of a left-field choice, although the abilities of the former Cornish Pirates and Worcester forward can be rated by the fact he was recently named as London Irish’s player of the season.

Although born and brought up in New Zealand, Cowan has strong Scottish heritage, even taking his name from the Argyll village of Blairmore, where his mother Joan, a leading triathlete in New Zealand, was raised.

Cowan has been picked at openside, but Cotter suggested that his versatility - he can play in all three back-row positions - had been a factor in the 28-year-old’s selection. As the game is likely to be played in fiercely hot and humid conditions, conditions were also weighed into the equation.

“What [Cowan] does give us on a dry track is speed across the pitch,” said Cotter. “He’s quick. He’ll apply pressure, which is what the game is about. And I’m sure he’s looking forward to the game on Saturday.”

Allan is also a curious choice. The 22-year-old has been seen as one of the most promising young props in the Scottish game, but he was little used by Edinburgh last season, making just a handful of appearances as a replacement before being offloaded to Glasgow.

In spite of that, Allan would find himself playing most of a full Test match if Reid picked up an early injury. “We hope we don’t get unfortunate injuries but if it happens then he is going to have to step up,” said Cotter. “That’s what we are counting on him doing.”

The Scots have played the US three times and have won comfortably on each occasion. However, the last of those matches was in 2003, and Cotter warned that the Eagles are now far more formidable opponents.

Cotter said: “Don’t underestimate them, they are a very good team. They are nowhere near the team they were, the way they were perceived 15eland close here last year. They pushed the Maori All Blacks very close last year. They enjoy playing in Houston. There are a lot of challenges in front of us.”